Chapter 2: Elementary and Secondary Education

This chapter contains a variety of statistics on public and private elementary and
secondary education. Data are presented for enrollments, teachers and other school
staff, schools, dropouts, achievement, school violence, and revenues and expenditures.
These data are derived from surveys, censuses, and administrative data collections
conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and other public
and private organizations. The information ranges from counts of students and schools
to state graduation requirements.

Enrollments

Public elementary and secondary school enrollment rose from 48.8 million in 2004
to 49.4 million in 2009, an increase of 1 percent (table
39 and figure 7). Public
elementary enrollment (prekindergarten through grade 8) was 1 percent higher in
2009 (34.4 million) than in 2004 (34.2 million), while public secondary enrollment
was 2 percent higher in 2009 (15.0 million) than in 2004 (14.6 million).

From 2004 to 2009, changes in public school enrollment varied from state to state
(table 36 and
figure 8). Increases occurred in 30 states from 2004 to 2009, while decreases
occurred in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The largest public school enrollment
increases occurred in Utah (16 percent) and Texas (10 percent), and 7 other states
had increases between 5 and 10 percent. The largest drop in public school enrollment
occurred in the District of Columbia (a decrease of 9 percent), and 4 other states
had decreases between 5 and 9 percent.

Enrollments in private elementary and secondary schools decreased by an estimated
10 percent between 2004 and 2009, from 6.1 million to 5.5 million (table
69). In 2009, private school students made up about 10 percent of all elementary
and secondary school students.

In 2010, about 64 percent of 3- to 5-year-olds were enrolled in preprimary education
(nursery school and kindergarten), the same as the percentage in 2000 (table
53 and figure 9). However,
the percentage of children in full-day programs increased from 2000 to 2010. In
2010, about 58 percent of the children enrolled in preprimary education attended
a full-day preprimary program, compared with 53 percent in 2000.

A higher percentage of 4-year-old children (57 percent) were cared for primarily
in center-based programs during the day in 2005–06 than had no regular nonparental
care (20 percent) or were cared for primarily in home-based settings by relatives
(13 percent) or by nonrelatives (8 percent) (table
56). There were differences in the average quality of care children received
in these settings. A higher percentage of children in Head Start and other center-based
programs (35 percent) received high-quality care than those in home-based relative
and nonrelative care (9 percent), according to the ratings of trained observers
(table 57).

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), enacted in 1975, mandates
that children and youth ages 3–21 with disabilities be provided a free and appropriate
public school education. The percentage of total public school enrollment that represents
children served by federally supported special education programs increased from
8.3 percent to 13.8 percent between 1976–77 and 2004–05 (table
46). Much of this overall increase can be attributed to a rise in the percentage
of students identified as having specific learning disabilities from 1976–77 (1.8
percent) to 2004–05 (5.7 percent). The overall percentage of students being served
in programs for those with disabilities decreased between 2004–05 (13.8 percent)
and 2009–10 (13.1 percent). However, there were different patterns of change in
the percentages served with some specific conditions between 2004–05 and 2009–10.
The percentage of children identified as having other health impairments (limited
strength, vitality, or alertness due to chronic or acute health problems such as
a heart condition, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, nephritis, asthma, sickle cell
anemia, hemophilia, epilepsy, lead poisoning, leukemia, or diabetes) rose from 1.1
to 1.4 percent of total public school enrollment, and the percentage with autism
rose from 0.4 to 0.8 percent. The percentage of children with specific learning
disabilities declined from 5.7 percent to 4.9 percent of total public school enrollment
during this period. In fall 2009, some 95 percent of 6- to 21-year-old students
with disabilities were served in regular schools; 3 percent were served in a separate
school for students with disabilities; 1 percent were placed in regular private
schools by their parents; and less than 1 percent each were served in one of the
following environments: in a separate residential facility, homebound or in a hospital,
or in a correctional facility (table 47).

Teachers and Other School Staff

During the 1970s and early 1980s, public school enrollment decreased, while the
number of teachers generally increased. For public schools, the number of pupils
per teacher—that is, the pupil/teacher ratio1
—declined from 22.3 in 1970 to 17.9 in 1985 (table
69 and figure 7). After
1985, the public school pupil/teacher ratio continued to decline, reaching 17.2
in 1989. After a period of relative stability during the late 1980s through the
mid-1990s, the ratio declined from 17.3 in 1995 to 16.0 in 2000. Decreases have
continued since then, and the public school pupil/teacher ratio was 15.4 in 2009.
By comparison, the pupil/teacher ratio for private schools was 12.5 in 2009. The
average class size in 2007–08 was 20.0 pupils for public elementary schools and
23.4 pupils for public secondary schools (table
72).

In 2007–08, some 76 percent of public school teachers were female, 44 percent were
under age 40, and 52 percent had a master's or higher degree (table
73). Compared with public school teachers, a lower percentage of private
school teachers were female (74 percent), were under age 40 (39 percent), and had
a master's or higher degree (38 percent).

Public school principals tend to be older and have more advanced credentials than
public school teachers. In 2007–08, some 19 percent of public school principals
were under age 40, and 99 percent of public school principals had a master's or
higher degree (table 90). A lower
percentage of principals than of teachers were female: about 50 percent of public
school principals were female, compared with 76 percent of teachers.

From 1969–70 to 1980, there was an 8 percent increase in the number of public school
teachers, compared with a 48 percent increase in the number of all other public
school staff2 (table B
and table 85). Consequently, the
percentage of staff who were teachers declined from 60 percent in 1969–70 to 52
percent in 1980. From 1980 to 2009, the number of teachers and the number of all
other staff grew at more similar rates (47 and 59 percent, respectively) than they
did in the 1970s. As a result, the proportion of teachers among total staff was
2 percentage points lower in 2009 than in 1980, in contrast to the decrease of 8
percentage points during the 1970s. Two staff categories increased more than 100
percent between 1980 and 2009—instructional aides, which rose 126 percent,
and instruction coordinators, which rose 262 percent. Taken together, the percentage
of staff with some instructional responsibilities (teachers and instructional aides)
increased from 60 to 62 percent between 1980 and 2009. In 2009, there were 8 pupils
per staff member (total staff) at public schools, compared with 10 pupils per staff
member in 1980 (table 85). At
private schools in 2007, the number of pupils per staff member was 7 (table
65).

Table B. Number of public school staff, by selected categories: 1969–70, 1980, and 2009

[In thousands]

Selected staff category

1969–70

1980

2009

Total

3,361

4,168

6,355

Teachers

2,016

2,184

3,210

Instructional aides

57

326

737

Instructional coordinators

32

21

74

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics,
Statistics of State School Systems, 1969–70; Statistics of Public Elementary and
Secondary Schools, 1980; and Common Core of Data (CCD), 2009.

Schools

During most of the last century, the trend to consolidate small schools brought
declines in the total number of public schools in the United States. In 1929–30,
there were approximately 248,000 public schools, compared with about 99,000 in 2009–10
(table 91). However, this number
has increased over the past 10 years: between 1999–2000 and 2009–10, there was an
increase of approximately 6,800 schools. Since the early 1970s, public school systems
have been shifting away from junior high schools (schools consisting of either grades
7 and 8 or grades 7 to 9) and toward middle schools (a subset of elementary schools
beginning with grade 4, 5, or 6 and ending with grade 6, 7, or 8) (table
98). Although the number of all elementary schools (schools beginning with
grade 6 or below and having no grade higher than 8) was about 64,000 in both 1970–71
and 1999–2000, the number of middle schools was 454 percent higher in 1999–2000
than in 1970–71 (11,500 vs. 2,100). During the same period, the number of junior
high schools declined by 54 percent (from 7,800 in 1970–71 to 3,600 in 1999–2000).
Between 1999–2000 and 2009–10, the number of all elementary schools rose by 5 percent
to 67,100, while the subset of middle schools rose by 14 percent to 13,200. During
the same period, the number of junior high schools declined by 17 percent to 3,000.

The average number of students in public elementary schools declined from 477 students
in 1999–2000 to 473 students in 2009–10 (table
100). The average enrollment size of public secondary schools increased
from 707 students in 1998–99 to 722 in 2003–04, but then decreased to an average
of 693 students in 2009–10. The average size of regular public secondary schools—which
exclude alternative, special education, and vocational education schools—was
higher in 2009–10 (798) than 1999–2000 (785).

High School Graduates and Dropouts

About 3,220,000 high school students are expected to graduate during the 2011–12
school year (table 111), including
2,926,000 public school graduates and 294,000 private school graduates. High school
graduates include only recipients of diplomas, not recipients of equivalency credentials.
The 2011–12 projection of high school graduates is lower than the record-high projection
of 3,348,000 graduates for 2008–09, but exceeds the high point during the baby boom
era in 1975–76, when 3,142,000 students earned diplomas. In 2008–09, an estimated
75.5 percent of public high school students graduated on time—that is, received
a diploma 4 years after beginning their freshman year (table
113).

The number of General Educational Development (GED) credentials issued by the states
to GED test passers rose from 330,000 in 1977 to 487,000 in 2000 (table
115). A record number of 648,000 GED credentials were issued in 2001. In
2002, there were revisions to the GED test and to the data reporting procedures.
In 2001, test takers were required to successfully complete all five components
of the GED or else begin the five-part series again with the new test that was introduced
in 2002. Prior to 2002, reporting was based on summary data from the states on the
number of GED credentials issued. As of 2002, reporting has been based on individual
GED candidate- and test-level records collected by the GED Testing Service. In 2010,
some 452,000 passed the GED tests, up from 330,000 in 2002, the first year of the
new test series.3

The percentage of dropouts among 16- to 24-year-olds has shown some decreases over
the past 20 years (table 116).
This percentage, known as the status dropout rate, includes all people in the 16-
to 24-year-old age group who are not enrolled in school and who have not completed
a high school program, regardless of when they left school. (People who left school
but went on to receive a GED credential are not treated as dropouts.) Between 1990
and 2010, the status dropout rate declined from 12.1 to 7.4 percent. Although the
status dropout rate declined for both Blacks and Hispanics during this period, their
rates (8.0 and 15.1 percent, respectively) remained higher than the rate for Whites
(5.1 percent) in 2010. This measure is based on the civilian noninstitutionalized
population, which excludes people in prisons, people in the military, and other
people not living in households.

Achievement

Most of the student performance data in the Digest are drawn from the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP assessments have been conducted
using three basic designs: the national main NAEP, state NAEP (which includes the
Trial Urban District Assessment), and national long-term trend NAEP. The main NAEP
reports current information for the nation and specific geographic regions of the
country. The assessment program includes students drawn from both public and private
schools and reports results for student achievement at grades 4, 8, and 12. The
main NAEP assessments follow the frameworks developed by the National Assessment
Governing Board and use the latest advances in assessment methodology. Because the
assessment items reflect curricula associated with specific grade levels, the main
NAEP uses samples of students at those grade levels.

Since 1990, NAEP assessments have also been conducted at the state level. Each participating
state receives assessment results that report on the performance of students in
that state. In its content, the state assessment is identical to the assessment
conducted nationally. From 1990 through 2001, the national sample was a subset of
the combined sample of students assessed in each participating state along with
an additional sample from the states that did not participate in the state assessment.
For mathematics, reading, science, and writing assessments since 2002, a combined
sample of public schools has been selected for 4th- and 8th-grade national and state
(including Trial Urban District Assessment) NAEP.

NAEP long-term trend assessments are designed to give information on the changes
in the basic achievement level of America's youth since the early 1970s. They are
administered nationally and report student performance in reading and mathematics
at ages 9, 13, and 17. Measuring long-term trends of student achievement requires
the precise replication of past procedures. For example, students of specific ages
are sampled in order to maintain consistency with the original sample design. Similarly,
the long-term trend instrument does not evolve based on changes in curricula or
in educational practices. The differences in procedures between the main NAEP and
the long-term trend NAEP mean that their results cannot be compared directly.

Reading

Reported on a scale of 0 to 500, NAEP long-term trend results in reading are available
for 12 assessment years going back to the first in 1971. The average reading score
for 9-year-olds was higher in 2008 than in all previous assessment years, increasing
4 points since 2004 and 12 points in comparison to 1971 (table
125). While the average score for 13-year-olds in 2008 was higher than in
both 2004 and 1971, it was not significantly different from the scores in some assessment
years in between. The average reading score for 17-year-olds was higher in 2008
than in 2004 but was not significantly different from the score in 1971.

White, Black, and Hispanic 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds all had higher average reading
scores in 2008 than they did in the first assessment year (which is 1975 for Hispanic
students because separate data for Hispanics were not collected in 1971). At age
9, White, Black, and Hispanic students scored higher in 2008, on average, than in
any previous assessment year. In comparison to 2004, average reading scores were
higher in 2008 for White students at all three ages, for Black students at ages
9 and 13, and for Hispanic students at age 9. Reading results for 2008 continued
to show gaps in scores between White and Black students (ranging from 21 to 29 points,
depending on age) and between White and Hispanic students (ranging from 21 to 26
points). From 2004 to 2008, no significant changes were seen in these reading score
gaps. However, the White-Black reading gap was smaller in 2008 than in 1971 at all
three ages, and the White-Hispanic reading gap narrowed at ages 9 and 17 in comparison
to 1975.

In 2008, female students continued to have higher average reading scores than male
students at all three ages. The gap between male and female 9-year-olds was 7 points
in 2008 (based on unrounded scores); this was not significantly different from the
gap in 2004 but was narrower than the gap in 1971. The 8-point gender gap for 13-year-olds
in 2008 was not significantly different from the gaps in either 2004 or 1971. At
age 17, the 11-point gap between males and females in 2008 was not significantly
different from the gaps in any of the previous assessment years.

The main NAEP assessment data were first collected in 1992 and are reported on a
scale of 0 to 500. From 2009 to 2011, there were no measurable changes in average
reading scores for 4th-grade males and females or for 4th-grade students from any
of the five racial/ethnic groups with scores reported in both assessment years (tables
126). From 1992 to 2011, male 4th-graders' average reading scores increased from
213 to 218 and female 4th-graders' scores increased from 221 to 225. The 2011 average
NAEP reading scale score for 8th-graders was 1 point higher than the 2009 score
and 5 points higher than the 1992 score. For 12th-graders, the 2009 average reading
score was 4 points lower than the score in 1992 but 2 points higher than the score
in 2005 (12th-graders were not assessed in 2007 or 2011).

The 2011 main NAEP reading assessment of states found that the average reading proficiency
of public school 4th- and 8th-graders varied across participating jurisdictions
(the 50 states, the Department of Defense overseas and domestic schools, and the
District of Columbia). For 4th-graders in public schools, the U.S. average score
was 220, with average scores in participating jurisdictions ranging from 201 in
the District of Columbia to 237 in Massachusetts (table
130). For 8th-graders in public schools, the U.S. average score was 264,
with average scores in participating jurisdictions ranging from 242 in the District
of Columbia to 275 in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey (table
132).

Mathematics

NAEP long-term trend mathematics results, reported on a scale of 0 to 500, are available
for 11 assessment years, going back to the first in 1973. Average mathematics scores
for 9- and 13-year-olds were higher in 2008 than in all previous assessment years
(table 141). The average score
for 9-year-olds in 2008 was 4 points higher than in 2004 and 24 points higher than
in 1973. For 13-year-olds, the average score in 2008 was 3 points higher than in
2004 (based on unrounded scores) and 15 points higher than in 1973. In contrast,
the average score for 17-year-olds in 2008 was not significantly different from
the scores in 2004 and 1973.

White, Black, and Hispanic 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds all had higher average mathematics
scores in 2008 than in 1973. In comparison to 2004, average mathematics scores were
higher in 2008 for White students at age 9. From 2004 to 2008, there were no significant
changes in scores for 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old Black and Hispanic students or for
13- and 17-year-old White students. Mathematics results for 2008 continued to show
score gaps between White and Hispanic students (ranging from 16 to 23 points [based
on unrounded scores], depending on age) and between White and Black students (ranging
from 26 to 28 points). Across all three age groups, neither the White-Black gap
nor the White-Hispanic gap in mathematics scores changed significantly from 2004
to 2008, but both were smaller in 2008 than in 1973.

While there was no significant difference between the average mathematics scores
of male and female 9-year-olds in 2008, male students did score higher than female
students at ages 13 and 17. At age 13, the 4-point gap between males and females
in 2008 was not significantly different when compared to the gap in 2004, but it
was larger than the gap in 1973. At age 17, the 5-point gender score gap in 2008
was not significantly different from the gaps in previous assessment years.

The average mathematics score for the nation's 4th-graders in 2011 was higher than
the scores in the eight previous assessment years (table
144). On a 0- to 500-point scale, 4th-graders scored 1 point higher in 2011
than in 2009 and 28 points higher than in 1990. Average scores for White, Black,
and Hispanic 4th-graders were higher in 2011 than in any of the previous assessment
years. The 25-point score gap between White and Black students in 2011 was not significantly
different from the gap in 2009. However, larger gains from 1990 to 2011 for Black
students than for White students contributed to a smaller gap in 2011 than in the
first assessment year. The 20-point score gap between White and Hispanic students
in 2011 was not significantly different from the gap in either 2009 or 1990.

The average mathematics score for the nation's 8th-graders in 2011 was higher than
the scores in the eight previous assessment years. Students scored 1 point higher
in 2011 than in 2009 and 21 points higher than in 1990. The average score for female
8th-graders was higher in 2011 than in 2009, while there was no significant change
in the score for males. Scores for both groups were higher in 2011 than in the earlier
assessment years, from 1990 to 2007. Male students scored 1 point higher, on average,
than female students in 2011. While there were no significant changes from 2009
to 2011 in the average scores for White or Black students, the average score for
Hispanic students was 4 points higher in 2011 than in 2009. Scores for all three
groups were higher in 2011 than in 1990. The 31-point score gap between White and
Black students in 2011 did not differ significantly from the gap in either 2009
or 1990. The 23-point score gap between White and Hispanic students in 2011 was
smaller than the gap in 2009 but not significantly different from the gap in 1990.

For 12th-graders, the average mathematics score (reported on a scale of 0 to 300)
was 3 points higher in 2009 than in 2005 (data for 12th-graders were not collected
in 2011). Average scores increased from 2005 to 2009 for both male and female 12th-graders
as well as for 12th-graders from all the racial/ethnic groups.

The 2011 main NAEP assessment of states found that the average mathematics proficiency
of public school 4th- and 8th-graders varied across participating jurisdictions
(the 50 states, the Department of Defense overseas and domestic schools, and the
District of Columbia). For 4th-graders in public schools, the U.S. average score
was 240, with average scores in participating jurisdictions ranging from 222 in
the District of Columbia to 252 in New Hampshire and 253 in Massachusetts (table
146). For 8th-graders in public schools, the U.S. average score was 283,
with average scores in participating jurisdictions ranging from 260 in the District
of Columbia to 299 in Massachusetts (table
147).

Science

NAEP has assessed the science abilities of students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in both
public and private schools since 1996; however, the 2009 assessment is based on
a new framework, so these results cannot be compared to those from previous assessments,
but instead will provide a baseline for measuring students' progress on future NAEP
science assessments. The 2009 assessment scores were based on a scale that ranged
from 0 to 300. In 2009, White 4th-graders had a higher average science score (163)
than did Black (127), Hispanic (131), Asian/Pacific Islander (160), and American
Indian/Alaska Native (135) 4th-graders (table
150). The average science score was higher for male 4th-graders (151) than
for female 4th-graders (149). The pattern of differences in average science scores
by students' race/ethnicity at grade 8 was similar to the pattern at grade 4. The
average science score also was higher for male 8th-graders (152) than for female
8th-graders (148). At grade 12, average scores for White (159) and Asian/Pacific
Islander (164) students were higher than the scores for Black (125), Hispanic (134),
and American Indian/Alaska Native (144) students. The average science score in 2009
for male 12th-graders (153) was higher than the score for female 12th-graders (147).

Skills of Young Children

In addition to student performance data available through NAEP, the Digest
presents data from other surveys to provide additional perspectives on student achievement.
Differences among demographic groups in the acquisition of cognitive skills have
been demonstrated at relatively early ages in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey,
Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) (tables 120, 121, and 122).

In 2003–04, about 64 percent of 2-year-olds demonstrated proficiency in expressive
vocabulary, which measured toddlers' ability to communicate using gestures, words,
and sentences (table 120). The
percentage of 2-year-olds demonstrating expressive vocabulary was higher for females
(69 percent) than for males (59 percent). Also, a higher percentage of White (71
percent) and Asian (62 percent) 2-year-olds demonstrated expressive vocabulary than
of Black, Hispanic, or American Indian/Alaska Native 2-year-olds (56, 54, and 50
percent, respectively). The percentage of 2-year-olds from families with high socioeconomic
status (SES) who demonstrated expressive vocabulary (75 percent) was higher than
the percentage of children from low-SES families who did so (52 percent).

Patterns of differences were also observed by race/ethnicity and SES for children
at about 4 years of age (48 to 57 months old) and at kindergarten entry. Average
early reading scores were higher for White (27.4) and Asian (30.5) 48- to 57-month-old
children than for Black (22.9), Hispanic (21.2), and American Indian/Alaska Native
(20.1) children (table 121). Also,
high-SES children (32.7) had higher average early reading scores than low-SES children
(19.3) at this age. These same patterns were observed among 48- to 57-month-old
children with respect to average mathematics scores. White (31.6) and Asian (34.7)
48- to 57-month-old children had higher mathematics scores than Black (26.9), Hispanic
(26.2), and American Indian/Alaska Native children (23.2). High-SES 48- to 57-month-old
children (36.2) had higher average mathematics scores than low-SES children (23.6).
Similarly, among 5- and 6-year-olds entering kindergarten, average mathematics scores
were higher for high-SES children (49.5) than for low-SES children (37.7) (table
122). White (45.5) and Asian (48.2) 5- and 6-year-olds entering kindergarten
had higher mathematics scores than Black (39.8), Hispanic (39.6), and American Indian/Alaska
Native (36.2) children. Similar patterns were observed for early reading skills
among children entering kindergarten. White (45.1) and Asian (51.4) children had
higher early reading scores at kindergarten entry than Black (40.2), Hispanic (38.4),
and American Indian/Alaska Native (36.2) children. High-SES children (51.2) had
higher average early reading scores than low-SES children (35.0).

SAT Scores of College-Bound Seniors

The SAT (formerly known as the Scholastic Assessment Test and the Scholastic Aptitude
Test) is not designed as an indicator of student achievement, but rather as an aid
for predicting how well students will do in college. Between 1998–99 and 2004–05,
the mathematics SAT average score increased by 9 points, but it declined by 6 points
between 2004–05 and 2010–11 (table 154).
The critical reading average score in 2010–11 (497) was 8 points lower than in 1998–99.
The writing average score in 2010–11 (489) was 8 points lower than in 2005–06, the
year in which the SAT writing section was introduced.

Coursetaking in High School

The average number of science and mathematics courses completed by public high school
graduates increased between 1982 and 2009. The average number of mathematics courses
(Carnegie units) completed in high school rose from 2.6 in 1982 to 3.9 in 2009,
and the number of science courses rose from 2.2 to 3.5 (table
159). The average number of courses in career/technical areas completed
by all high school graduates was lower in 2009 (2.5 units) than in 2000 (2.9 units).
As a result of the increased academic course load, the percentage of students completing
the 1983 National Commission on Excellence recommendations (4 units of English,
3 units of social studies, 3 units of science, 3 units of mathematics, and 2 units
of foreign language) rose from 10 percent in 1982 to 62 percent in 2009 (table
162).

School Violence

In 2009–10, about 85 percent of public schools had a criminal incident, which is
defined as theft, vandalism, drug possession, weapons possession, a serious violent
crime, or a less serious violent crime such as a fight without weapons (table
169). In 2009–10, some 74 percent of schools reported one or more violent
incidents, 44 percent of schools reported one or more thefts/larcenies, and 46 percent
reported vandalism. The percentage of schools reporting a serious violent crime
in 2009–10 (16 percent) was lower than the percentage of schools reporting a serious
violent crime in 1999–2000 (20 percent). Also, the percentage of schools reporting
an incident of vandalism was lower in 2009–10 (46 percent) than in 1999–2000 (52
percent). Overall, there were 4 criminal incidents reported per 100 students in
2009–10, which was lower than the 5 criminal incidents per 100 students reported
in 1999–2000.

Revenues and Expenditures

The state share of revenues for public elementary and secondary schools generally
grew from the 1930s through the mid-1980s, while the local share declined during
the same time period (table 180).
However, this pattern changed in the late 1980s, when the local share began to increase
at the same time the state share decreased (table
180 and figure 10). Between
1986–87 and 1993–94, the state share declined from 49.7 percent to 45.2 percent,
while the local share rose from 43.9 percent to 47.8 percent. Between 1993–94 and
2000–01, the state share rose again to 49.7 percent, the highest share since 1986–87,
but declined every school year thereafter until 2005–06, when the state share was
46.5 percent. Overall, between 1998–99 and 2008–09, the federal share increased
from 7.1 percent to 9.6 percent, while the state share decreased from 48.7 to 46.7
percent. The local share fluctuated around 43 and 44 percent during this period.

After adjustment for inflation, current expenditures per student in fall enrollment
at public schools rose during the 1980s, remained stable during the first part of
the 1990s, and then rose again (table
191 and figure 11). There
was an increase of 37 percent from 1980–81 to 1990–91; a change of less than 1 percent
from 1990–91 to 1994–95 (which resulted from small decreases at the beginning of
this period, followed by small increases after 1992–93); and an increase of 34 percent
from 1994–95 to 2008–09. In 2008–09, current expenditures per student in fall enrollment
were $10,591 in unadjusted dollars. In 2007–08, some 55 percent of students in public
schools were transported at public expense at a cost of $854 per pupil transported,
also in unadjusted dollars (table 184).

1 The pupil/teacher ratio is based on all teachers—including
teachers for students with disabilities and other special teachers—and all students
enrolled in the fall of the school year. Unlike the pupil/teacher ratio, the average
class size excludes students and teachers in classes that are exclusively for special
education students. Class size averages are based on surveys of teachers reporting
on the counts of students in their classes.
2 "All other public school staff" includes
administrative staff, principals, librarians, guidance counselors, secretaries,
custodial staff, food service workers, school bus drivers, and other professional
and nonprofessional staff.3 Information on changes in GED test series
and reporting is based on the 2003 edition of Who Passed the GED Tests?,
by the GED Testing Service of the American Council on Education, as well as communication
with staff of the GED Testing Service.